Doctrinal disagreements are bound to happen. They happen due to reasons of culture, knowledge, experience, and background. A doctrinal disagreement is a disagreement on non-salvation issues. Salvation comes through Jesus alone. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus paid the penalty for my sin. Faith in Jesus is the only way to heaven. Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. The Bible is the Word of God. However as we become followers of Jesus and as Jesus works our His Kingdom rule in our lives, disagreements can arise. The question is, how should Christians handle such disagreements.
What I see happening today is ugly among those people who say they are Christian. Sometimes I hear name calling, such as “Joe X is a liar”. I hear accusations like “Jane X is deceived”. Sometimes an entire church group is told they are ungodly. Sometimes one group stops talking to another group. Sometimes someone who disagrees is shunned and gossiped about. Every response seems to splinter the body of Christ and cause division. It seems that those who follow Christ have forgotten about the love of Christ. We have forgotten what it means to be a body. “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ” (Ephesians 4:1–6, NIV84)
There is an example in Acts about how to handle doctrinal disagreements. There was a church in Antioch that was growing. Some people from another region (Judea) who had a different culture and tradition came. A disagreement broke out between two sincere groups of people. “Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. (Acts 15:1–2, NIV84) Their discussion did not end with name calling. They brought their doctrinal disagreement before the leaders. ” So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. ” (Acts 15:2, NIV84)
When they arrived before the leadership, the disagreement surfaced again. “Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.” ” (Acts 15:5, NIV84)
What happened though shows how the body of Christ acted in love. The church leaders considered the question, and then the leaders spoke. Peter spoke, “God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. ” (Acts 15:8–9, NIV84) “No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” ” (Acts 15:11, NIV84) They looked to Scripture to confirm this revelation and shared how God’s promise applied. They did not force the doctrinal opinion of the circumcised believers upon the uncircumcised.
What happens when we accuse one another over doctrinal disagreements is that we divide and weaken the church. The world looks and does not see the message of Love and Joy. The world sees a message of anger and accusation of those things which should not divide the body.
Paul addressed this same issue in his letter to the Romans when there was disagreement over food that believers could eat.
“You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: ” ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’ ” So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall. So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. ” (Romans 14:10–22, NIV84)
If you disagree with me, then pray for me. Encourage me in my faith. Take the time to look at the Word of God with me. Discuss it with me. If we still disagree, let’s ask some leaders. If we still disagree after that, then let us resolve to love one another in spite of our differences. If you are convinced that you have the true doctrine, than act as the mature one and do those things that will edify me in my weakness.
I speak in tongues. I will love those who don’t.
I believe in healing. I will pray and support those who don’t. I will care for those who are sick.
I believe in restoring the fallen. I will show mercy and grace to those who don’t.
I believe in the ministry of angels. I will bless those who don’t.
As I have grown in faith, much of what I understand about doctrine and how to live has also grown. I expect to continue to grow as the Lord keeps working in me. I know that my understanding of God is a work in progress.
